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April 20, 2010

Evan Longoria and Carlos Pena greet each other at home plate. (AP Photo)

Patriot's Day in Boston. A day locals argue as being the best holiday of the year in the Hub. It's a holiday reserved for the city of Boston, and is one us residents cherish with food, drink, & the companionship of friends and family. Commemorating the first battles of the Revolutionary War at Lexington and Concord, we also garnish this day with our greatest love of all, and that's with the conflict of sport.

The Boston Marathon begins the day 26.2 miles outside of the city in the quaint village of Hopkinton, to be followed an hour later with a Red Sox game at Fenway Park. The traditional 11:05am start is the earliest of the year in all of Major League Baseball, and makes for a festive atmosphere around Kenmore Square, as both events spill into each other in the chilly April afternoon air. The day is traditionally a jovial one, however - the crowd at Fenway was anything but friendly yesterday, as the sliding Sox continued their downward trend. It was the first game of the year I was able to attend, as it's become the De facto Opening Day for both my friends and I. It started off as good as ever, with some hearty breakfast and drinks at the House of Blues Foundation Room, thanks in part to the fine folks and friends over at G2 Technology Group.

As we spilled across the street to Gate C, I couldn't help but smile as I became inundated with the sights, smells, and sounds of baseball in Boston. Once inside the emerald, and with two drinks firmly entrenched in my hands, I made my way up the stairs of Section 43 to our seats, just a few rows to the left below Ted Williams' famous red seat. That unfortunately ended up being the highlight of my Fenway experience, as the wheels fell off for the Sox, and fell off quickly, in large part to John Lackey's ineptitude on the mound.

The Red Sox team ERA is now an inflated 4.58 which ranks them 12th out of the 14 teams in the AL. So much for that run prevention huh? April's been a bloody month for our hurlers, and they've shown none of the guile the true Patriots held 235 years ago against the British. Checking back in with our "big three", their collective ERA's have risen from 4.46 last week, to their current standing of 5.98:

Beckett - 3.86

Lackey - 5.63

Lester - 8.44

The Red Sox current run differential is then not surprisingly at -19, which gives them the second worst run differential in the AL (13th out of 14), behind just the lowly Baltimore Orioles (-30) in that department. After only scoring 15 runs in the past seven days (50 total on the season) - the Red Sox now rank 11th in the AL in runs scored. Simply put, these $160 million dollar Red Sox are close to leading the league.....in all the wrong categories.

You hope it's just a case of it being early and them being a team trying to find their identity. But we already went through uninspired mediocre regular seasons by the Patriots, Celtics, and Bruins, and much like I feared, it looks like the Sox are falling into suit. The Bruins were thankfully able to save Patriots Day from complete despair with a gutsy and inspiring win over the Sabers, and you hope the KG-less Celtics can do the same tonight in the Garden. Both the Celtics and Bruins seemed to have found their swerve and fire very late in the season (the Celtics may have literally waited until the Playoffs), I'm scared that if the Sox don't gain a sense of urgency soon though, they won't be able to rely on finding it come September and October because of the level of competition now in the AL East.

We have to remember though, that much like Patriots Day, the Season is a marathon and not a sprint, but if you cramp up too much early on in the season/race, the Finish Line ends up being a formality - with your goals and expectations thrown out the window. I'm in no way throwing in the towel on April, 20th - however, the Red Sox have to start giving me some reasons to believe they can compete in this race.

April 15, 2010

Almost a year ago today I wrote a post entitled "Death of the Big Papi Era", and looking back on it now, it seems to be validated, in spite of his second half resurgence last season. When I wrote that piece the revelations of him being on the 2003 doping list weren't yet leaked, but I didn't need that to connect the dots, as the box-score told me all I needed to know. Now, as time sadly marches on, there's an obvious arc to his career, and it's strewn both with championships and needles on the dugout floor.

There were four years, from 2003-2007, where Big Papi was as big as anything in the game of baseball. He wasn't just endeared here in New England, he was appreciated by fans across the country, and was becoming a great ambassador of the game. I like to equate this time to the brief moments of courage and joy felt by Francis Macomber in Hemingway's brilliant short story, "The Short Happy Life of Francis Macomber". While Macomber is a weaker and more deplorable character than Ortiz ever will be, taking a step back to look at the big picture, you notice that both their moments of triumph were tragically short.

David Ortiz' brilliance on the diamond is in reality just a blip in baseballs rich history. Four years is nothing in the greater scheme of things, especially when playing for the Red Sox, where the true legends of the Fens, like Williams and Yaz, each played 19 and 23 years respectively for the Sox. That said, Ortiz was something neither of those Gods were, and that's a winner. Without Papi the state of Red Sox Nation would still be in a manic flux, and I guarantee there'd be no new red banners sitting above homeplate in Fenway Park.

This is where the true dysfunction lies with both the Red Sox fan, and even Papi himself. We loved and rooted for the man so hard, and he did so much for the psyche of the franchise, that it's almost unbearable to see him be a shadow when we're used to seeing a giant. It's like watching a loved one wither away with cancer or dementia, it gets to a point where you just want it to end, as the suffering is unbearable.

It's obvious how heavy the weight is on Ortiz, and it's just as mental as it is physical. Seeing Papi lash out at reporters after only the second game of the season with an explicit filled rant that would make George Carlin blush is not the Ortiz we loved. Seeing him strike out over half the time he's up at the plate eight games into the season is not the David we know. The plain, sad, and simple fact is that all David Ortiz gets paid for is to hit. He can't make up for his shortcomings at the plate in the field, and when he not hitting, he's sulking, and that affects the clubhouse as much as his infectious smile.

Do not feel sorry for Big Papi.He's getting paid $13,000,000 for this season alone, and this is the last year on his contract. This means that Tito doesn't have to coddle him like he did last year and wait for him to either break out of his "slump" or take his "eye drops". We have a young, hungry, and talented hitter in Jeremy Hermida - who is trying to prove himself to not just the Red Sox, but to the entire league. I hate to say it, but I think it may be time to put Papi out to pasture next to Varitek and Lowell on the bench. It's strange to type these things, but I honestly think it'd be best for the team.

In a year where the Red Sox are paying their players more than ever, they can't afford to have their DH perpetually flirting with the Mendoza Line and not hitting for power. There's now a fairly popular hash tag on Twitter called, #hermidafordh, and it's only going to gain momentum as both stars pass each other on opposite arcs. With Iron Mike Lowell finally getting into a game today, the Death of the Big Papi era may finally be visible, I just pray Tito doesn't let him wither. I'll always love Papi for what he did, steroids or not, but his short happy life with the Sox appears to be over, and while it's sad, it's also fact.

April 14, 2010

When I first sat down to read "The Die-Hard Sports Fan's Guide to Boston", I wasn't sure what to expect. There are few places in the world with fans as fervent as the ones in Beantown. Boston fans bleed their teams' colors, live and die with their successes and failures, and generally make fans in other parts of the country seem like idle followers. Christopher Klein has managed to put together a nice little compendium of the various sports teams, from the collegiate and amateur levels through the professional ranks, as well as a fairly detailed history behind each. While a lot of detail is given to Boston's professional teams, he does spend a good part of the book on the college and non-pro teams as well. Along with descriptions and histories of the franchises, he gives some insight into how to maximize your sports-watching. He also provides key information about where to get tickets, the best places to eat, fun things for the kids to do, even the accessibility of a given sports complex. All of this creates a book that can make even a casual fan into a die-hard.

And that may be the problem. Most of the information covered in this book is common knowledge to true die-hard Boston fans. While there are some fun facts relating to the history of each sports team, any die-hard worth his salt already knows the best place to score a Red Sox ticket, or which bars to avoid after a Celtics game lets out. The saving grace is that many die-hard fans are often die-hards for only one or two of the teams in town. Some Red Sox fans don't watch the Bruins. Some Bruins fans don't watch the Celtics. So, for those fans, this book can be a great refresher for the other teams in town, and perhaps pique some interest in a sport they wouldn't necessarily follow. Personally, I found the information regarding the college teams interesting, as I've rarely followed non-professional teams in the past. Now that I've read TDSFGTB, a new appreciation for Boston College football and Harvard hockey has been discovered.

Overall, I rate this book a solid 7 out of 10. For a rather short book, it is packed with a wealth of information. And, even if it does contain many tidbits of knowledge that most die-hards already know, I imagine even the most hardcore fan can appreciate this knowledge being gathered into one place. Give it a read, and see how far into die-hard fandom it will take you.

April 13, 2010

Now that we're a week into the 2010 baseball season I figured it'd be worth looking at some numbers to see where the Sox currentlly are at. I'll also write the obligatory sentence here that yes, we're only one week into the season, and yes, the sample set of numbers isn't nearly large enough to get an accurate depiction of where this team will be later in the season. Still, numbers are never worth ignoring and this is what we have to work with, so at the very least it's interesting to look at.

The 2010 Boston Red Sox are the highest paid incarnation of the local nine ever, with a reported payroll nearly $40 million more than 2009 (This isn't counting Beckett's contract extension, since it was struck after the start of the regular season). Just for some perspective here, both the Padres ($37,799,300) and Pirates ($34,943,000) have a total team salary of less then $40 million. The Red Sox having a large payroll is certainly not a news flash though, however, having the highest paid team in club history, by nearly $30 million, should justifiably raise the already high expectations of both you and I, the fan.

All season long it was hammered into our skulls that these high paid Sox would be a pitching and defensive minded Juggernaut. We were welcomed into the so called "Run Prevention Era" with the signings of Adrian Beltre, Marco Scutaro, and Mike Cameron, with of course the biggest splash being that of John Lackey. Red Sox Nation was bracing itself for a plethora of 2-1 games where victories would be obtained by brilliant leather and our new holy trinity of starting pitchers.

One week and seven games into the season Beckett, Lester, and Lackey have started a total of five games and have only one win to show for all their hype. Their combined ERA is 4.46, and the only reason it's that low is because of John Lackey's one game 0.00 ERA. Respectively Beckett and Lester have each started two games and their ERA's are a ballooned 6.17 and 7.20. On the other side of the plate the Red Sox have been putting up runs at a really good clip at five a game.

So seven games into the season and things seems to be reversed as far as expectations in the winter, as pitching and hitting predictions seems to be reversed. Our defense has been as billed with only two total errors, and an MLB fourth best field percentage of .992. The numbers for our big three will even themselves out as the season marches on - but these are trends to keep an eye on, and with the payroll as it is, 500 ball will only suffice for so long before the natives get restless.

April 04, 2010

The wait is over. The city of Boston has finally emerged from the dank wet cloud that's been holding over the Hub for the better part of a month. Causing roads to be shut, moods to be shattered, and thoughts of baseball to be shunned. Now the rain is gone, and as that ugly bird flies out of the sun strewn city with its wings spread open, it turns its sunken head and quote's `Nevermore.'

Life is good in Boston right now. We've been resurrected from one of the wettest months in recorded history, and have been greeted with a damn fine weekend for baseball. Walking around Cambridge, Boston, and Brookline yesterday, it was impossible to not continually stumble into the smile of a stranger. I have no gripes what-so-ever that the game is being played on Easter Sunday Night. You really expect me to complain about the baseball season finally starting? You expect me to complain about a Red Sox vs. Yankees game? I think not my fare friend, for much like those sun drunken strangers I saw yesterday, I have a big dumb grin on my face, stretched from bunny ear to bunny ear.

On the way home from a good friends wedding Jeannine and I decided to stop off at the Hall of Fame (which never gets old for me), however with limited time we decided to make it a tour of only things Red Sox. Enjoy!

This was the first time I've been to a game with my Dad since the early 90's and it was just awesome, especially with everything that happened with my Mom a few weeks ago. I know she was watching the game with us and had to have been happy to see us happy.

Marathon Monday (Patriots Day) is a great tradition in Boston. The Sox always start early in the a.m. and the marathon is on it's final stage right outside of Kenmore as the game lets out. This is a photo tour of our experiance, enjoy!

This past Mothers Day I was visiting Chicago and attended a Cubs/Phillies game. This was my first time at Wrigley Field and I was embraced by my NL cousins. Chris & I represented the Red Sox and I was congratulated on the 2004 season by numerous Cubbie fans. Here you'll find 11 pics from the game.

Boston.com and Boston Dirt Dogs had a playoff push party at Game On! in Fenway Park on September 19. The game didn't go so well as the Sox lost, however, a lot of people had a good time hanging out while getting to "meet" the trophy!

My brother Chris flew into Boston from Chicago to help me root on and pull for the Sox in the Series. We went right from Logan Airport to the Park and ended up watching the game across the street from Fenway at Bills Bar on Landsdown Street. We looked into scalping tickets but standing room only were going for $1,200 and up!This was a great and memorable day to be able to be with my brother in Boston to see the Red Sox in the World Series. This is a snap shot of two weeks of my life that provided a lot of sorrow, joy, sleep deprivation, and hangovers. Two of the best weeks of my life...